Custom Mini Trucks - Ridin' Around - September 2008

Hometown - Cruisin' - Local

Rollin' In ParadiseJiro Maeda is the owner of this '03 Chevy S-10 that he has been working on in his garage. All of he modifications were done by Jiro; such as the molded-in body kit, shaved door handles, tonneau cover, and billet grille and clear corners. To make it from one side of the Hawaiian island to the other in record time, he dropped in a small-block 350 with a ton of power-producing parts. Inside the cab, Jiro updated the dash by a later-model S-10, then swapped out the bench with Mustang bucket seats. Jiro plans on installing an airbag setup and a little more detail work to get his Dime ready for the show season. We think this will make the Mrs. very happy, because she might get to see Jiro a little more.

TexaradoDerrick Wilbanks is currently working on his second custom truck and it came in the form of an '06 Chevy Colorado. He decided to customize it after getting into a slight accident that crushed the whole side of his truck. To date, he has performed several modifications that include a static-drop, shaving all the handles, and a third brake light. A set of 20-inch Halo wheels wrapped in low-profile rubber, a billet grille insert, smooth roll pan, and two-tone paint round out the exterior modifications. To make driving from place to place a little easier, a set of custom door panels and headliner replaced what the factory installed, along with a MTX 250-watt amplifier pushing a 10-inch Earthquake sub.

S-10 RidahChris' S-10 started life as a run-of-the-mill daily driver. However, there was something about driving a stock-looking truck that wasn't exactly appealing. Therefore, he began to tinker with his truck, starting with the rolling attire. It now consists of 18-inch Polo wheels, which were wrapped in Kumho tires. Chris felt that modifying the outer skin of his truck was a necessity, so he had the antenna, hood squirters, third brake light, and tailgate handle shaved, while replacing the stock door handles with Corvette handles. He changed out the front end with one from a '96 Blazer, ditched the factory mirrors for a set of Street Scene replacements, then ditched the rear bumper, which is now covered by a roll pan. The truck was based in green with red and gray graphics. Finishing off the truck is a 1,500-watt Kenwood stereo system.

GreyhoundSean Muldoon of National Park, New Jersey, is working on this '88 Mazda 2200. He has covered every aspect of this truck in detail. He has shaved everything, had a Toyota front-end swap, and replaced the fenders and bed with 4x4 counterparts. The truck lays flat on the ground, courtesy of a stock-floor body-drop and an airbag setup. Future plans for this little mini is suicide doors, a shaved engine compartment, custom paint, and to drag-proof it for all the dragging Sean plans on doing.

Editor's Note: Getting you truck into Ridin' Around is a snap-of the camera, that is. All it takes is a couple of good-quality photos of your ride that are in focus and well lit. Due to the volume of mail we receive, we regret that we cannot return photographs. Please shoot and send photos of your truck only (no people, pets, Polaroids, or printouts) to: Mini Truckin' magazine, Ridin' Around, 2400 E. Katella Ave., Ste. 700, Anaheim, CA 92806. It is important to include a detailed description of the modifications you have made to your truck, including any interesting stories behind it. This can include the buildup or any special history on the truck.